Perpetual calendar with automatic



Jan. 27, 1948. v F BQTHAM 2,435,069

PERPETUAL CALENDAR WITH AUTCMATIC'DAY INDICATION Filed Dec. 7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i T x SUN 1 JAN Q 74 MON 2 75 02 TUES 3 [E03 wens 4 FEB 26 [l7] THURS 5 27 77 FRI 6 IE 78 05 SAT 7 s! 79 06 SUN 8 IE 29 @[si] 07 MON 9 [E] was 10 a: 53 8| weos II MAR [@154 82 09 THURS I2 s5 83 no FRI 13 v as [ENE] :1 SAT 14 APR 34 SUN [5 ml 35 57 35 MON )6 MAY LE] 58 86 I3 TUES 17 [E] s9 s7 :4 W505 I8 E2] 37 ,5 THURS :9 JUNE. 38

FRI 20 m '39 a: 89 ,SAT 2/ JULY @62 90 17 SUN 22 m 63 9! rs MON 23 4| l9 TUES 24 AUG 42 waos 25 E] 43 s5 93 THURS 26 [E166 94 21 FRI 27 SEPT 67 95 22 SAT 26 [El {ENE 25 sun: 29 OCT 46 [E MON 30 LE] 47 69 97 TUES 5-: E] 70 9e 25 .WEDS NOV 7/ 99 THURS 495g FRI DEC SAT [E1 73 0o Jan. 27, 1948. J, F, BOTHAM PERPETUAL CALENDAR WI'I H AUTOMA TIC DAY INDICATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. '7, 1943 F/GZ.

K v a Igventor Jan.27,1948. F, QTHAM 2,435,059

PERPETUAL CALENDAR WITH AUTOMATIC DAY INDICATION Filed Dec. 7, 1945 {sheet sheet s 30 43 c a 09 /2 29 3o In uentor Jan. 27, 1948. .J. F. BOTHAM 2,435,069

PERPETUAL CALENDAR WITH AUTOMATIC DAY INDICATION 4 Shets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 7, 1943 F/GG.

Patented Jan. 27, 1948 PERPETUAL CALENDAR WITH AUTOMATIC DAY INDICATION Jack Frederick Botham, Colchester, England Application December 7, 1943, Serial No. 513,243 In Great Britain December 22, 1942 2 Claims. (Cl. 40112) This invention is concerned with a perpetual calendar in which, when it has been set to a certain date (i. e., the day of the month, the month, and the year), the name of the day of the week is indicated. As viewed from one aspect th invention provides a perpetual calendar having movable indicators including a day-name indicator for the names of the days of the week, a day-number indicator for the numbers of the days of the month, a month-name indicator for the names of the months, and a year indicator for the numbers of the years, operating means for setting the day-number, month-name, and year indicators, and means whereby such setting automatically sets the day-name indicator.

As viewed from another aspect the invention provides a perpetual calendar, having movable indicators including a day-name indicator, a daynumber indicator, a month-name indicator, and a year indicator, means for shifting each of the three last-mentioned indicators individually to show the required date, and means whereby the arithmetic sum of these movements is communicated to the day-name indicator and the latter is thereby shifted to show the name of the day.

In the preferred construction the indicators are located side by sid and there is an operating device which is permanently coupled to the dayname indicator but which is displaceable into connected relationship with any selected one of the other indicators so that when the selected indicator is shifted by it the day-name indicator is simultaneously shifted.

These, and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims, are incorporated in the constructions which will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which-- Figure l is a development of the inscribed surfaces of the indicators;

Figure 2 is a, front elevation of the calendar;

Figure 3 is an end elevationthereof;

Figure 4 is a, longitudinal section taken on the line IVIV in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on the line V-V in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an elevation of one of the spacing members hereinafter referred to.

Figures 7 and 8 are fragmentary sections taken respectively on the lines VIIVII and VIII-VIII in Figure 5, while Figure 9 illustrates a modification.

The calendar shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5 comprises a drum-like casing consisting of a cylinder 29 located between end walls 30 arising from a base 2|. This cylinder 29 has an aperture or Window 5 whereat the inscribed peripheries of five indicators are presented. In Figures 2 and 4 these indicators are shown as rotatable drums A, B, C, D, and E. A isthe day-name indicator intendedfor indicating the names of the days of the week. As shown in Figure 1 its periphery is in elfect divided into 35 sections in which the names of the days of the week are inscribed serially five times. B is the day-number indicator for indicating the numbers of the days of the months: as shown in Figure 1 its periphery is in effect divided into 35 sections, 31 of which are inscribed with the numbers 1 to-31 and the remaining four sections are blank. 0 is the monthname indicator for indicating the names of the months; as shown in Figure 1 it is in effect divided into 35 sections in some of which the names of the months ar inscribed in the order shown; some of the sections are blank and the names of the months are in duplicate. D is a century-indicator for indicating the centuries. It is in effect divided into 35 sections in which the numbers of th centuries are inscribed in the order shown in Figure 1; certain sections are blank. Eiis a year-number indicator. Its periphery is in effect divided into four parallel columns of 35 sections in which the numbers 00 to 99 are inscribed in the order shown in Figur 1. The four columns are appropriated to the four quarters of the century and reading from left to right in Figure 1 the first column is concerned with the second quarter-century, the second column with th third quarter-century, the third column with the fourth quarter-century, and the fourth column with the first quarter-century.

It will be seen that on the indicators 0, D, and E certain of the inscriptions are duplicated and those that are enclosed with a rectangle are intended to be rendered in a visually-distinctive manner (e. g., in red) and appertain to leap years. In indicators D and E in all cases excepting when the year ends in double zero (00) the year number on indicator E indicates whether or not the year is a leap year according to whether the inscription is in red fora leap year or black for an ordinary year, and this is irrespective of the colour in which the century number appears on indicator D. Where, however, the year ends in double zero the century number indicates whether or not the year is a leap year. If it is a leap year the red double zero must be used, and if an ordinary year the black double zero. In all cases the red month names must be used for leap years and the black names for ordinary years,

up to and including September 2, 1752, the in scription O. S. 17 must be used and for-those including and from September 14; 1752, fN; SI 1'7 must be used. Unless otherwise stated inscriptions before the 18th oentiiry'areflltl 'style and those after New style=- :Difierent partspf the world adopted the change at different tiines so that it is necessary to know which style is in force when referring to the calendar: Some Roman Catholic countries on the continent of Europe werethe first to adopt-the New style'when it wasorigin'allyintiroducedi For these countries the inscription 15 must beiused'for dates up toand including octob'ere, 1582, and N? S.- 15 for dates including an'd from October '15, 1582. Russia did not a'dopt'theNewstyle until the 20th century. Old style numbers must therefore be used for dates up to and includinglJanuary 31, 1918, and New stylefor dates including and from February'l li 1918; From the 16thto the20th centuries inclusive th'ecalen'dar can be used for Old style and/or-Newstyle' dates. Before'that period only. Old style are shown and after" only New style. The Old-style inscriptions are 15', 16; O. S. 17, O. S: 18, O. S; 19 and O. S; 20 and the corresponding New:style' inscriptions (NI 3- 15, N. s- N. s 17), 618;?! 19?! 20- The day-name indicator A is :fixe'dbn a rotatable shaft 2 extending axially within the casing ofthe calendar, the said shaft beingprovided with a, knob 22- at one end-by which it'may be turned. Slidable along said shaft-2 there is a sleeve 6 the said sleeve and shaft being keyed together (as for example by theshaftand the interior of the sleeve: beingpolygonan and" if necessary an end bearing 28 c'an be:provide'd 'on the shaft inside the sleeve and'thi's sleeve carries a gear 3-'p'rovided with 35"teeth- I I2 Each of the indicators B, C, D 'and E isaz hollowbylinder the inner surfaceof which is provided with 1 teeth 4 adapted to mesh with the teeth of the gear 3. Therefore by slidingthe sleeve 6"by-*means of a knob I provided on it, the gear 3 -may:'be' mesh'ed with any selected one of the indicators Bto E (the gear tooth arrangement constituting a clutch) and the selected indicator is thereby coupled to the day-name' indicator-A: Byr'otating either of the knobs? 'or 22 theseletdfindi caters B to E may be rotated'to present there quire'd date'at the aperture orwi'ndow' 5 and simultaneously the day-name indicator A is rotated to an-equal extent; It will be un'derstood that if the indicators B to E are rotated one-after another to present the required' date (i. -e.,- the day of the month, the nanie of the month and the year) at the window 5, the arithmetidsum of the movements of these .four'indi'cators is com municated to the day-name indicator lr and the latter is shifted so. that it presents at" thewi'ndow 5 the-name f the day 'of that particular date.

Itis; however; desirable". toprovide means whereby only the. number: from: the appropriate qua-rterentury on: indicator E is; presented at the window the numbers of 'the other three quarter centuries being covered up. This is effected by means of a, quarter-century screen 42 which has apertures I3, l4, l5 and 16 as shown in Figure 2, one for each column on the indicator E. This screen I2 may be rotated to bring the required aperture to the window 5 and locked in that position by means of the screwed knob 23.

Theprinciple on which the calend'ar operates is as followsz 'Numbers r'anging from l-to 7 can be assigned to each date of the month, each month, century and year of the century, so that a--difierentday of the week can be represented respectively by each one of the seven remainders mo 6) left after the total (of four figures) representing agiverr date has been divided by seven.

If each bandof 35 sections is assumed to be numbered from no 35, each section can be represented by one of the seven remainders of a division by seven. In turning the indicators B, C, D and E to set the date the turn of each is communicated to indicator'A; the-turn of which is therefore the total oftheturnsof B; C, D and E. The turn: of*anyindicator through a: fifth part'of-a circle does-not aifectthe day of the week indicia'showing. through-window 5, .i. e.; when indicator- A is turned through one fifth part of a-circle, the'same day ofthe weekindicia will reappear. The efiective part: of any: turn then is the 'amount bywhich 'it'exceeds-a multiple of i a-fifth of' antur n; 'and the :eifectiv'e turn 0f Aisonly that partbywhich thetotal turn ex ceecls a. multiple of a fifth of 'a turn. This excess can only be ome of sevenpartspof'a'fifth:

The" various indicators: arexspaced. apart by partitions 8- and and'inorder'to prevent'the clutch member 3-from engaging. and'turning two of the indicators when passing from one to the other certain or all. of these spacing members may be providedwithteeth similar-to the-teeth '4. Thus in a Figure -6 the spacing. members 8 are shown as being provided with such teeth 4. Rota tion oftheindicators-B to E under-the effect of vibration or the likeis prevented by: a springloaded detentsuch as that shownin Figure -7 or Figure 8. Each spa'cingrmember'fi is. provided with 35 holes or recesses 31: and-according; to Figure 7 the adjacent indicator isprovided with a spring 9 adapted toengage-these recesses. In Figural; this spring 9. is r'epla'cedby; asprin'geloaded ball 32. The correctposition of. the clutch member 3 lengthwise' of shaft. 2 in relation' to the: indicators: B to isdetermined by springs I8 movable with said clutchimemberandadapted to engage recesses such: as 2 5'; lfi spaced lengthwise of shaft 2; The outward movement of sleeve 6 i's'=limited by a stop 2l' se'cure'd to said-"sleeve.

In the alternativeform shown in Figure 9 each indicator comprises an endless band 18" running over a sprocket l'9*provided-"with teeth'3d for engaging perforations in said band and overa 'drum 19'. Here theclutch member (the equivalent of member 3*in' Figure 4) is shown at 2llan'd in order to illustrate" the fact'that the number of teeth need not be equaltothe number of sections, this clutch member is shown as having seven teeth; The number of teeth on. each sprocket I9 must bathe-same and a-whole number of teeth must be contained-in the angle through which the" sprocket" l 9-must be turned 1 in order to move the inscription band forward or backward byonesection.

The following; is a simple sequence of) operations in usingtthe=calendarz (i) Dravi out the knob Wand-move: the-selector [2 to expose the quarter of the century in which the date occurs.

(ii) Turn the indicator D bearing the century numbers into position. The inscription will appear in red or black, indicating the following, (a) If red, that when followed by double zero the year is a leap year and the red double zero on the indicator E bearing the year numbers must be used. (b) If black, that when followed by double zero the year is an ordinary year and the black double zero must be used. (c) That if the century numbers are not followed by double zero the colour of the inscription gives no indication as to whether or not the year is a leap year. This is correspondingly indicated by the year numbers.

(iii) Turn the year-number indicator E into position.

(iv) After the year is set turn the month-name indicator 0 into position. If the year is a leap year the red inscriptions must be used.

(V) Turn the day-number indicator B into position and the day-name indicated on indicator A is that for the date shown.

The number of hollow cylinders need not be four but any number according to the number of portions into which the date is divided for the purposes of the calendar.

Cylinder A need not be on the left. It can be placed to the right or in any position where mechanical arrangements will allow, and it need not be solid.

The keyed shaft 2 may be of any section which allows the gear or clutch 3 to traverse it without rotation relative to the shaft.

The number of teeth on the gear wheel 3 need not be 35the number depends on the number of sections into which the inscribe-d surface of the indicators is divided. Where the surface is divided into 35 sections the number of teeth may be of any multiple of 35. The number of internal teeth may be any number which will engage with the gear. For example one tooth is sufficient to lock the gear within the cylinder. Alternatively the internal teeth could number 35 with only one tooth on the gear.

The inscriptions need not be in black for ordinary years. Any suitable method of representation may be employed. The inscriptions for leap years need not be in red and any suitable method of distinguishing them from the inscriptions for ordinary years may be employed.

The method of distinguishing Old style Century numbers from the corresponding New style numbers may be any one suitable.

The quarter-century selector will only be necessary where it is desired to cover inscriptions which would otherwise show were it not for the selector. The number of openings need not necessarily be four nor need each band of inscriptions contain a quarter of a century.

The accompanying drawing, showing developments of the inscribed surfaces of the indicators, gives only one selection of inscriptions. This may be modified in one or. more of the following or similar ways. The number of bands may be different. The sequence of the bands may be changed and likewise the sequence of the sections. The inscriptions may be designed to cover a greater or lesser period of years.

The tube or casing 29 containing the indicators may be of any suitable shape. size or design and the opening, window or other means of distinguishing a particular date may be arranged in any suitable position. In some cases it may be arranged so that the opening can be moved if desired so that it is perpendicular to the line of sight, or at any other angle. The base 2| may be designed to be utilitarian as Well as functional. For example the base might contain a drawer to hold papers, instructions for using the calendar, or printed calendars to serve the 14 different calendar years-that is one for each of the ordinary years commencing with a different day of the week and one for each of the bissextile years commencing with a different day of the week. Provision could be made in the casing and/or base so that any chosen calendar could be held in View by notches, clips or other means. Tables could also be included for the finding of Easter Day or other information regarding the calendar.

The operating knob 1 of the calendar described in the specific description is on the right although it need not necessarily be in that position. Partly to secure symmetry a similar knob 22 may be placed on the left. This will be constantly coupled to the operating knob l and rotate with it although it will not follow the longitudinal movement of the operating knob. Both knobs may be turned together with different hands in setting the date and the calendar thus kept more steady.

I claim:

1. A perpetual calendar, having a series of internally-toothed indicator drums side by side and including a day-name indicator for the names of the days of the week, a day-number indicator for the numbers of the days of the month, a month-name indicator for the names of the months, and a year indicator for the numbers of the years, and. a common operating device comprising a gear permanently meshing with the teeth of the day-name indicator, an axially movable gear displaceable to engage the teeth of any one of the other indicators, means coupling the gears together, and means for rotating them.

2. A calendar according to claim 1, having a non-rotatable toothed member interposed between successive indicators for engaging the movable gear as the latter passes from one indicator to the next and for preventing rotation of the gear in its passage.

JACK FREDERICK BOTHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

